"What?"
Yuyue blinked.
Did I walk onto the wrong film set or something?
Did this suddenly become Uchiha territory? Why is this guy talking like he's Madara's long-lost cousin?
He clenched his fists, smiling coldly.
"What a coincidence. I just learned Wood Style," he muttered. "Do you think I'm going to let this slide?"
Yuyue was ready to make this Hyuga guard experience the fury of the God of Shinobi, Young Edition.
Just as he was about to step forward, Ino quickly grabbed his arm and whispered, "Calm down! Let me try first."
She stepped forward and spoke politely.
"I'm Yamanaka Ino. We're Hinata's classmates, we just came to visit her. Can you please let her know we're here?"
The Hyuga guard scowled, completely unimpressed.
"How many times do I have to repeat myself? So what if you're from the Yamanaka clan?"
"Miss Hinata has many classmates. You think every brat who shows up deserves her time?"
"If you've got nothing important, scram. Don't block the way."
Ino's expression turned dark. The Yamanaka clan and Hyuga clan were both prestigious clans in Konoha. But this guy—just dripping with arrogance...
Yuyue narrowed his eyes.
So this is what happens when the Uchiha are gone…
With the Uchiha clan annihilated, the Hyuga had risen to the top of the pecking order. Now, all that suppressed pride and arrogance was spilling out.
"I'll 'talk' to him," Yuyue muttered, pushing Ino gently behind him.
He rolled up his sleeves, his expression ice-cold.
The guard sneered at the approaching boy.
"I said get the he—"
He didn't even get to finish.
The next thing he saw was the sole of a shoe filling his vision.
BANG!
"AHHH—!"
With a shriek, the guard was sent flying through the wooden gate, leaving behind a clean, human-shaped hole in it.
Ino and Naruto's eyes went wide as plates.
They hadn't expected Yuyue to actually go through with it—and the speed of the attack had been insane! They could barely register his movement!
This guy… was strong.
"You stirred up a hornet's nest now!" Ino gasped, grabbing Yuyue by the arm.
"Hurry! Come to my house, you'll be safer there!"
The Hyuga clan was the biggest family in Konoha now. Attacking one of their guards? That was like slapping them across the face. There was no way they'd let it slide.
But Yuyue calmly placed his hand over hers, smiling gently.
"Don't worry. Trust me—everything's fine."
Before Ino could respond, an enraged voice rang out:
"Who dares lay a hand on a member of the Hyuga clan?!"
In a flash, shadows blurred into existence. Multiple Hyuga clan shinobi appeared from thin air, surrounding Yuyue and the others in a perfect formation.
Hyuga Qingchi stepped forward and saw the shattered gate. His expression darkened.
The gate was ruined. A major embarrassment to the clan—even if repairs were made, their branch family would surely be reprimanded for this disgrace.
"Who did this?!" he shouted furiously.
"I did," Yuyue replied coolly, stepping forward without hesitation.
Qingchi frowned, looking the boy up and down.
Seriously? This little punk?
"You? Go cool off, kid."
It was obvious he didn't believe Yuyue.
Hyuga Shi, the gate guard, may have been low-ranking, but even he was at least Chūnin-level. And this boy looked like he hadn't even graduated the academy yet.
Unless he was some freakish genius like Kakashi or Uchiha Itachi—which was... unlikely.
"You looking down on me?" Yuyue raised an eyebrow.
Just then, the injured Hyuga guard stumbled back out, a huge red shoe print stamped across his face.
Hyuga Qingchi rushed to him. "Azhi! Who did this to you?"
He assumed the attacker had already fled and didn't even glance at Yuyue.
Azhi pointed a trembling finger at Yuyue.
"It—it was him!"
That kid's kick almost sent me to the Pure Land...
"?!"
Hyuga Qingchi's jaw dropped, then immediately clenched with anger.
A genius, huh?
But even so...
"No matter what your reason was, I can't let this go. The Hyuga clan has a reputation to uphold!"
"Take him down!"
Immediately, the other Hyuga shinobi took the Gentle Fist stance and surrounded Yuyue.
"Youyue, look out!" Ino called out.
Naruto dashed forward, ready to help—
BOOM!
BOOM!!
In the span of a second, all the Hyuga shinobi were blown back like rag dolls, crashing into the surrounding walls and buildings.
Even more holes now decorated the clan's pristine gates.
Everyone was speechless.
What kind of strength was that?!
Four Chūnin… taken out in an instant?
Ino's eyes sparkled.
He's so strong…
Naruto's mouth hung open.
Is this really the same guy I've been neck and neck with for years?
"You try to arrest someone without even asking questions?" Yuyue dusted off his sleeves.
"This is how your noble Hyuga clan operates? A little too arrogant, don't you think?"
Hyuga Qingchi felt a cold sweat forming. He sensed that this situation was spiraling out of control.
He took a breath and forced himself to calm down.
"...Can someone explain what actually happened here?"
His tone had noticeably softened.
He was recognizing Yuyue as a genius.
"Uncle," Naruto stepped up, "we just came to see Hinata. That guy was rude and insulting. Yuyue couldn't take it, so he taught him a lesson."
Qingchi glanced at Azhi. "Is that true?"
Azhi turned red and stammered, "N-no! That's nonsense!"
"Really?" Yuyue smiled coldly.
"Maybe I should jog your memory—with another kick."
"Wait! Wait!" Azhi panicked and retreated quickly.
"I—I did say a few things. But that doesn't mean you can hit me!"
Qingchi sighed deeply.
That confirmed it. If the attacker had been some powerless civilian, they might've twisted the story however they liked.
But now? With the Yamanaka clan involved and Yuyue showing this level of talent, they had no choice but to own up to their mistake.
"Apologize," Qingchi ordered quietly.
"I'm sorry," Azhi muttered bitterly.
"Not enough." Yuyue pointed at Qingchi himself.
"You too."
"You…" Qingchi's face turned purple.
A bit too far, isn't it?
"You were ready to attack without even asking what happened," Yuyue said.
"If I wasn't strong, you would've taken me down first and asked questions later, right?"
Qingchi gritted his teeth, then bowed slightly.
"...Sorry."
"That's more like it." Yuyue grinned.
"I forgive you—this time."
He turned away, cheerful again, as if nothing had happened